Paris Fashion Week FW21: Loewe, Issey Miyake, Rick Owens, and More

Introduced through a “show in a newspaper,” Loewe’s latest womenswear debuts pushed the boundaries with abstracted silhouettes painted in a palette of acrylic hues. The act of getting dressed itself became a focus, embodied in bold looks composed of geometric lines and tactile details like carved handbags, studded shoes, and garments combining textured knits and leather. Giving off the impression of a play on uniforms, each garment caught the eye with details like oversized tassels, angular details, pops of color, and cut-outs—seen on looks like a white collared dress with a leather yolk and colored striped details worn with platform loafers, a knitwear one piece with a yellow and blue leather construction over the bodice, and a blue suit with giant taffeta embellishments styled with white heeled mules and a twisted handbag in multicolored chevron stripes.

Introduced online through a film work by Mikiya Takimoto, Issey Miyake’s Fall/Winter 2021 womenswear collection “As the Way It Comes to Be” looked to the colors and shapes found in nature for inspiration. Imbuing organic beauty and strength, we saw a palette of earthy tones like rust, cement, black, gray, and blue across moveable, roomy garments in unique silhouettes. Here, the house’s iconic pleats made up structural designs that looked like they were caught blowing in the wind—like a long dress and wide-legged pants that appeared to float away from the body—and a series of pieces that utilized the handmade folds to create designs that revealed entire circles when the wearer spread their arms. We also saw unique prints and fabrications displayed on pieces like draped dresses made from silk dyed with the hogushigasuri technique, long coats made of raw, undyed wool, and a stone-inspired pattern done with the traditional suminagashi dying technique.

Recently seen in Rick Owens’s latest menswear collection, the house returned to the biblical location of Gethsemane as the lens through which it has imagined its Fall/Winter 2021 womenswear designs. Responding to the fear and anxiety that has been so high within the past year, Rick Owens has created dramatic silhouettes within its futuristic signature that give off notions of protection, reminiscent of a high fashion take on clothes that might be worn in a depiction of post-apocalyptic times. We saw elements like huge, boxy shoulder cuts, all-over sequined looks, tight leather bodysuits, and large, stomp-worthy platform boots giving off an air of danger. Each completed with a matching face covering, standout looks included a black look made of a blazer with its sleeves ripped off and a sequined bodysuit that cut above the hips to reveal black tights underneath, a white structural puffer poncho paired with green sequined pants, and a long dress and coat in dusty hues styled with a statement necklace.

Nina Ricci’s new collection offered a modish attitude adapted for the present day, introduced through a video capturing a surreally minimalistic setting lined with Klein blue folding chairs. Pairings of elegance with utility and harmony with dissonance were exemplified through details like combinations of prints and fabrications, an upbeat color selection, and the elevation of more functional designs through clean lines and styling choices. Designs like sleek blouses with belled sleeves and trapeze silhouettes paired with printed tights reminded us of past couture styles, while pieces like furry heels and sheer pink cargo pants were more rooted in current ideals of fashion. Standout looks included the matching pants and boots in a gray chevron tweed paired with a colorful graphic blouse and a jacket with cargo pockets and a belted waist paired with wide-legged workman’s pants, a chartreuse turtleneck, and a gumdrop hat.

Coperni staged its Fall/Winter 2021 presentation as a drive-in fashion show, where 40 cars arrived at the venue, composing both the set and audience. Titled “La Nuit,” the collection began its descent through the car-lined rows with Adut Akech heading the show, wearing a black off-the-shoulder mini dress and neon green pointed-toe heels. Playing with the night as its muse (and the seduction, complexity, and mystery that come with it) the collection was centered around frank, visually striking takes on classic silhouettes that embraced sensuality—like skin-tight turtlenecks, all-over sheer pieces, and A-line shapes with ultra-mini hems. Looks we loved included a tank dress in a see-through textured lavender fabrication paired with thigh-high boots, an all-white suit with statement shoulders, and a pair of plaid pants with external pockets styled with a sportswear top that zipped up the neck.